Massachusetts chocolate company names first operating and marketing officer

Taza Chocolate, which is based in Somerville, Massachusetts, has named Barbara Reilly as its first chief operating and marketing officer since its founding in 2005.

Reilly has previously spent a year consulting clients including Blue Cross Blue Shield and Kaplan University, according to Taza. She will join Taza Chocolate’s CEO Alex Whitmore and co-founder Kathleen Fulton to lead the company in the growing dark chocolate category.

“This is a dream job,”​ said Reilly. “Alex, Kathleen and the team have built a very solid foundation. Taza manufactures its own products, [which is] a huge advantage, and there is a focus on smart growth.”​

She told ConfectioneryNews there has been a lot of consumer interest in organic foods, and as an organic chocolate producer, Taza is on the right track to grow double digit by 2019.

“I’m also going to hire more sales, digital, social media and web associates to grow our company,”​ added Reilly.

New investment to fuel growth

The reason why Taza is able to expand its team is because it recently received a substantial amount of equity financing, Whitmore explained.

He did not provide further details on how Taza secured its latest investment.

However, “we have very exciting growth plans for the next several years as we continue investing in marketing, sales, and facility capacities to capitalize on some of the strong consumer trends,”​ he said.

“The better-for-you foods category has seeped into all corners of the food industry, and chocolate confectionery is no exception. Our bold, stone ground chocolate products are all 100% vegan, diary free, gluten free and soy free and all certified organic,”​ added Whitmore.

Taza is one of the few bean-to-bar chocolate companies in the US that uses Mexican stone mills to grind its cocoa beans to create natural fruity flavors without sweeteners. It currently produces a wide range of chocolate bars and barks.